49ers’ Kyle Nelson suspended 10 games by NFL

Long snapper Kyle Nelson, the 49ers’ third-longest-tenured player, has been suspended for 10 games by the NFL for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances for the second time in his eight-year career.

The NFL suspends players for up to six games for a first violation of the policy. A second violation triggers a 10-game suspension.

Nelson, 32, who is in the final year of his contract, won’t be eligible to play until Week 7 of the 2019 season, but he can participate in offseason and preseason practices and games after this season.

Nelson, who has played in 76 straight games since joining the 49ers in 2014, said in a statement that he would “never knowingly take a banned substance” and planned to “seek legal action against the manufacturer” of the product that caused the positive test.

It is not known when Nelson served his first suspension. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2011 but did not make his regular-season debut until he played six games with the Chargers in 2012. He played 11 games with Washington in 2013.

“I have been taking the same supplements for my entire time with the 49ers, while undergoing often simultaneous testing by the NFL with no issues,” Nelson said. “… I am currently having the supplements tested, and I hope to uncover the cause of the positive test.”

Said general manager John Lynch: “We are certainly disappointed to be losing Kyle for 10 games. Hopefully, this serves as a reminder to all of our players that they need to take the proper steps to know exactly what they are putting in their bodies.”

Last week, the 49ers reportedly worked out five long snappers, including Jon Condo, 37, who spent 12 seasons with the Raiders.